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Why your next hire should be a level 70 paladin

Some, ahem, odd qualifications have begun showing up on resumes and CVs in the last few years: Guild master. Monster hunter. Master shape-shifter. But before you roll your eyes and write off candidates like these as low-energy basement dwellers, know this — you may be overlooking some of your best potential hires.

Individuals who achieve high levels of proficiency in multiplayer online role games aren’t the slackers they’re often portrayed as. Gaming, as it turns out, is a hobby that teaches valuable skills that are transferrable to the business environment.

Successful gamers know how to strike a balance between competition and cooperation. The ultimate objective is to win the game, but gamers know that no one does it alone. What’s more, game leaders show a clear ability to adeptly perform executive-level tasks. They must recruit groups of players from different backgrounds, skill levels and cultures, develop and execute complex strategies (such as dungeon raids) and manage the clan’s finances.

High-achieving gamers are excellent data processors who can handle complex data sets that rapidly change. To claim victory in the online battle arena, a gamer must be able to assimilate and interpret a large number of factors such as resources and subunit maneuvers while tracking the enemy’s actions.

They’re also fast decision makers. Real-time data streams have trained gamers to think on their feet, making choices based on incomplete information. As situations change, they’re able to quickly formulate new plans. Trial and error is rewarded in gaming, not discouraged, so gamers are comfortable with taking risks. That doesn’t mean they’re comfortable with losing. After all, gamers seek to advance in rank, stature and skill, and they can’t do that unless they succeed more often than not.

Digital skills passports

Translating those skills into a nomenclature that human resources (HR) can recognize is a challenge for both companies and these richly talented prospects. Mark Nebreda, a senior principal and technologist at DXC Technology, says Digital Skills Passports (DSPs) can bring them together successfully. In his white paper “Tapping talent: Uncovering diamonds in the rough in leader boards, duels and digital worlds,” Nebreda says that rapid technological change and the skills needed to lead in a digital world are outpacing traditional HR methods.

Today’s job seekers acquire skills in many ways in addition to games that aren’t tracked by traditional education systems, so these have no way to show up on resumes or online job site profiles. People of all ages today are advancing their education and skills through self-paced, online programs such as Coursera. They write code and create apps. They self-publish and self-market.

Nebreda says that using DSPs can streamline and evolve the recruiting and talent management processes. Acting as a unified destination for information about employees, DSPs can share data with employers but retain it for employees as they continue their careers. The DSP will enable recruiters to quickly assess applications most relevant to the job on offer. Equally important, it will help HR groups unlock access to skills in high demand from within their companies.

No industry will escape the need to adapt to the effects of digital disruption. But with this transformation, exciting new careers will emerge to harness rapidly evolving digital technologies. A DSP creates a window into the wealth of skills and capabilities that many people possess but have no way to demonstrate.